World News: Winter is coming

Tuesday, December 20

A person cross-country skis on a sidewalk in Bellingham, Wash., early Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. Heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet have disrupted flights and motorists trying to travel across the Pacific Northwest.

The first day of winter is tomorrow, and this massive blizzard apparently got the memo. It's Tuesday's news.

A major blizzard is brewing up a dangerous blast of cold, wind and snow. A House committee is debating the release of Donald Trump's tax returns. And a magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocked parts of Northern California.

👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. It's time for Tuesday's news!

But first: You know that sliver of counter space in the kitchen that attracts, like, all the clutter? Mine is finally clutter-free for the first time in at least one year. 🙌 Can you tell the holidays are upon us? If you still have a mile-long list of chores, here are some creative ways to hide clutter before company arrives.

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Pre-Christmas blizzard could strengthen into a 'bomb cyclone'

The first day of winter is Wednesday, and this blizzard apparently got the memo. A pre-Christmas blizzard that experts say could become a "bomb cyclone" is set to bring heavy snow, strong wind and plummeting temperatures to the Central and Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes this week. The storm system could create treacherous travel conditions late Wednesday through Christmas Eve. And it's going to get cold – in some places, really cold. Meteorologists in the Twin Cities are forecasting wind chills and cold as minus 40. Even locations as far south as Orlando, Florida, could see below-freezing conditions, AccuWeather said.

👉 What other areas will be hit? Will it become a 'bomb cyclone'? Here's everything you need to know.

•	Keep an eye on your Christmas flight: What travelers can expect this week.
•	Heavy snow and high winds on the way: What exactly is a blizzard?

Aircraft are seen parked at gates at Vancouver International Airport after a snowstorm crippled operations leading to cancellations and major delays, in Richmond, British Columbia, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022.

Darryl Dyck, AP

Will Trump's tax returns become public?

A key House panel met Tuesday afternoon to discuss releasing Donald Trump's tax returns, a move that Republicans warned could jeopardize the privacy of every American's taxes but that Democrats argue could help guide tax lawmaking. The House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., got the returns from the Treasury Department a few weeks ago after a long legal battle. The committee met briefly before it closed the meeting to the public, noting the confidential nature of the documents under review. Here's what's happening now.

•	Here's what to expect if a House panel votes to release Trump's tax returns.
•	Pence says he doesn't believe Trump should face criminal charges over Jan. 6.

Documents arrive as the House Ways & Means Committee holds a hearing regarding tax returns from former President Donald Trump Dec. 20, 2022.

Andrew Harnik, AP

What everyone's talking about

•	How Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' death highlights mental health challenges.
•	Pets are our companions at home. More employers are welcoming them at work, too.
•	Why Jill Biden finally said yes to Joe Biden's fifth marriage proposal.
•	Shirley Watts, wife of the Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts, dies at 84.
•	'Treat women like garbage': Unheard voices of Black female police officers.
•	The most athletic high schooler in America? Why colleges are clamoring to sign Nyckoles Harbor.

The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.

2 dead, thousands without power after earthquake rocks California

At least two people were killed and 11 were injured in the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that rocked Northern California early Tuesday, local authorities said. Damage to roads was reported, Humboldt County officials said, at least two homes were knocked off their foundations or partially collapsed, and tens of thousands of homes and businesses were without power in the area about 250 miles north of San Francisco. The quake was the strongest the area has seen in years, and the U.S. Geological Survey warned of "many" aftershocks, including some that could reach magnitude 4.

•	'It could happen tomorrow': Experts know disaster upon disaster looms for West Coast.

This image posted by Caltrans District 1 shows a road closure on California State Route 211 at Fernbridge, a 1,320-foot-long (402.3 m) concrete arch bridge that spans the Eel River near Fortuna, Calif., in Humboldt County. The bridge is closed while they conduct a safety inspection checking for possible seismic damage. Officials say a strong earthquake in Northern California has cut off power to thousands and damaged roads and homes. No injuries have been reported in the magnitude 6.4 earthquake early Tuesday near Ferndale. That's a small community over 200 miles northwest of San Francisco and close to the Pacific Coast.

This image posted by Caltrans District 1 shows a road closure on California State Route 211 at Fernbridge, a bridge that spans the Eel River in Humboldt County. The bridge is closed while they conduct a safety inspection checking for possible seismic damage. Officials say a strong earthquake in Northern California has cut off power to thousands and damaged roads and homes.

Caltrans via AP

Asylum-seekers in limbo as Title 42 hangs in the balance

The Biden administration intended to lift the order that allowed expedited expulsion of asylum-seekers on grounds of preventing COVID-19 under a public-health rule that was scheduled to expire Wednesday. But the Supreme Court put that plan on hold.

What you need to know:

•	What is Title 42? Title 42 took effect at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Under the Trump administration, the CDC invoked the health code to prevent migrants from being held in crowded holding facilities during a global pandemic.
•	Immigration advocates say the policy was used for border control long after the COVID-19 threat had retreated. The CDC officially terminated the order in April, but it never went away.
•	Republican-led states, including Texas, argued that ending Title 42 could provoke unusually high levels of migration and drain state resources. They appealed their case to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, and the Court said the order must remain in place while it evaluates written arguments.

👉 Keep reading: El Paso braces for migrant crisis as Title 42 his Supreme Court.

•	Biden tells Supreme Court that states should stay out of legal fight over Title 42 policy.
•	Biden to travel to Mexico for meeting with AMLO amid migrant crisis.
•	Chief Justice Roberts pauses lifting of Title 42, keeping migrant policy in place for now.

Migrants warm by a fire after crossing the Rio Grande into El Paso, Texas, to request asylum on Dec. 19, 2022, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued an "administrative stay," temporarily leaving the Title 42 pandemic era policy in place to quickly expel migrants at the border. Border officials expect an even larger migrant surge at the border if and when Title 42 is lifted.

John Moore, Getty Images

Real quick

•	Wells Fargo to repay 16 million customers as part of $3.7B settlement.
•	Why are 2 shark species linked to Florida swimming off Rhode Island?
•	'High school drama'? Greene, Boebert spar over McCarthy's speaker bid.
•	Fantasy football rankings: Keep your championship hopes alive!
•	Famous deer who swam a mile across Mississippi River killed by hunter.
•	97-year-old woman convicted as accessory to 10,000 murders at Nazi WWII camp.

🌤 What's the weather up to at your house? Check your local forecast.

🎶 Silent night ... spooky night? 😱

Christmas in America has long been about receiving presents from Santa for being nice, or at worst, getting a lump of coal for being naughty. Though jolly St. Nicholas has long been a staple, the holiday season has historically had a sinister side. In pagan and other pre-Christian traditions, legends arose of mythical beings who emerged during the long nights around the solstice to dole out more extreme punishments to those who weren't on their best behavior. Ever heard of Belsnickel? Jim from "The Office" may have put it best: "He's kinda like Santa, except dirty. And worse."

👉 Read more (if you dare!): Christmas monsters have haunted Europeans for longer than America has been a country. Here are seven of those stories.

Across Europe, Christmas monsters have been scaring children for centuries.

Jennifer Borresen

A break from the news

•	🎥 He's paralyzed – but he still loves to dive! Watch this nostalgic birthday dive.
•	😡 People say vacations are a pressure cooker for relationships. Is that true?
•	☝️ Let's do this: Expert tips for sticking to your healthy New Year's resolutions.
•	🎁 Still need a little somethin'? These gifts will still arrive in time for Christmas.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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